Enclosed Trailer Buying Guide
Sizing, axle configuration, construction and door choices for cargo, contractor and toy-hauler trailers.
Enclosed trailers look interchangeable and are not. Axles, construction and door layout determine whether the trailer suits your work — and whether it will still be straight in ten years.
1. Size and payload
| Size | Typical GVWR | Suits |
|---|---|---|
| 5 × 8 single axle | 2,990 lb | Motorcycle, landscaping tools, small moves |
| 6 × 12 single axle | 2,990–3,500 lb | Contractor tools, market stalls |
| 7 × 14 tandem axle | 7,000 lb | General contracting, ATVs, a small car |
| 8.5 × 20 tandem axle | 7,000–10,000 lb | Car hauling, mobile workshops |
| 8.5 × 24+ tandem/triple | 10,000–14,000 lb | Toy haulers, race support, large fit-outs |
Buy for the heaviest load you realistically carry, not the average. Running a trailer near its GVWR constantly wears axles, bearings and tires quickly.
2. Single or tandem axle?
Single axle is lighter, cheaper, and easier to manoeuvre by hand — fine under 3,000 lb and for short trips. Tandem axle tows far more stably at highway speed, carries more, and will get you home on a blowout. Over 3,500 lb or for regular highway use, tandem is the right call.
3. Construction
- Tube frame vs angle iron: tube is stronger and resists twisting. Worth paying for.
- Wall stud spacing: 16 in centres are standard; 12 in is noticeably stiffer and better if you will mount shelving or a lift.
- Screwed vs semi-screwless skin: screwless looks cleaner and leaks less over time, as every screw is a future water path.
- Roof: one-piece aluminium sheds water better than seamed. Seams are where leaks start.
- Floor: 3/4 in plywood is standard; add a rubber coin mat or spray liner if you will roll equipment in and out.
4. Doors
Ramp doors are essential for anything wheeled and double as a work platform — specify a spring-assist on larger sizes. Barn doors are lighter, cheaper, and allow access in tight spaces where a ramp has no room to swing down. A side door is close to mandatory: without one, reaching a single item means opening the whole rear.
5. Height
Interior height runs from about 6 ft on small trailers to 7 ft on larger ones. If you will stand up and work inside, specify at least 6 ft 6 in. Check the door opening separately — it is always lower than the interior.
6. Options worth specifying
- Roof vent — controls condensation; cheap and often omitted.
- E-track or D-rings — tie-downs are far cheaper factory-fitted than retrofitted.
- LED interior lighting — the standard dome light is not enough to work by.
- Spare tire and mount — frequently left off to hit a price point.
- Radial tires — run cooler and last longer than bias ply at highway speed.
- Brakes on both axles — some tandems come with brakes on one. Specify both.
7. Inspecting a used trailer
- Tire DOT date codes — replace anything over five years regardless of tread.
- Check the roof seams and inside corners for water stains.
- Walk the floor for soft spots, especially at the rear where water enters.
- Test every light, and confirm electric brakes engage on each axle.
- Look underneath for cracked welds, bent crossmembers and rust.
- Check the coupler and safety chains for wear and elongation.
- Sight down each side — a straight trailer tracks straight.
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